ABOUT US
Dan Zucker is the founder of ZEBS. He is an industry leading music executive who has run Business & Legal Affairs departments at independent and major labels, most recently as Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs for RCA Records, a division of Sony Music. In these positions, he brought extensive business and operational knowledge combined with legal expertise and a strategic mindset to Jive Records, the Zomba Label Group, and RCA Records, among others. Dan played a pivotal role in the growth and evolution of these labels, negotiating agreements, leading business and administrative operations, and mentoring lawyers and other colleagues in a perpetually changing industry.
Early in his legal career, Dan was a litigation associate at two major law firms, Shearman & Sterling and Gibson Dunn, and clerked for the Honorable Frank J. Battisti, Chief Judge of the Federal District Court of Northern Ohio. He began his journey in the music industry in the Law Department at Sony Music. From there, he spent 11 years at Zomba Recording Corp, home of Jive Records and the most successful independent music company in the history of the business. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Dan spent the next two decades at BMG, Sony/BMG, and finally Sony Music.
Artists signed to deals negotiated by Dan comprise some of the biggest performers in the world, including SZA, Doja Cat, Childish Gambino, Chris Brown, Foo Fighters, P!nk, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Kirk Franklin, Pentatonix, Tool, Usher, Outkast, A$AP Rocky, Khalid, Dave Matthews Band, and the Strokes.
In November 2024, Dan received a Certificate in Mediation from Harvard Law School’s Program On Negotiation. He has also studied at the Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute of the American Bar Association.
Click on the LinkedIn link below for additional information about Dan.
mediation SERVICES
Dan’s mediation practice focuses on music business disputes. In an industry where relationships, collaboration, and reputations are vitally important, mediation provides a unique opportunity for the parties to privately communicate their differences while attempting to fashion a settlement. Unlike litigation or arbitration, mediators do not issue binding rulings or verdicts. Rather, mediation is a voluntary process by which a neutral and non-judgmental mediator guides the parties themselves toward a mutually acceptable resolution.
As a mediator, Dan brings a wealth of skills and tools in addition to his broad industry knowledge. The ability to listen, to understand the details of the conflict and each party’s interests, to maintain confidentiality and respect, and to be fair, impartial, and results oriented are keys to a successful mediation. Dan will patiently direct the process and facilitate a dialogue, whether jointly with the parties or by “shuttle diplomacy”, singularly focused on settling the dispute in a manner satisfactory to all parties.
Dan is available to mediate disputes of any size, and his services are available at any stage of a conflict, from pre-litigation claim to post-judgment appeal. In person mediation sessions are preferred where practical. However, remote sessions are also available.